Russian Missile Hit Ahead Ukraine Offensive + Kiev’s Obsession Over Territory Amid War of Attrition

Update on the conflict in Ukraine for May 1, 2023:

– Russia has conducted multiple large-scale missile strikes across Ukraine including the targeting of potential staging activities ahead of Ukraine’s spring/summer offensive;

– Russian missile strikes are also exhausting Ukraine’s air defense capabilities at a rate difficult for its Western allies to replace;

– Errant Ukrainian S-300 missiles falling into populated areas and causing civilian casualties are now regularly blamed on Russia;

– Several of Ukraine’s remaining S-300 systems appeared to be moving into Kherson to provide potential air defenses ahead of the expected offensive but were discovered and destroyed by Russian Lancet kamikaze drones;

– There has a been an up-tick in fantastical propaganda across the West, reflecting the growing issues Ukraine’s war efforts face in reality;

References:

NYT – Defenses Carved Into the Earth (December 2022):
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2…

ABC – Ukrainian air defences shoot down 15 of 18 Russian missiles launched in dead of night (April 30, 2023):
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-0…

The New Voice of Ukraine – Russia firing at Ukraine missiles made last fall or winter, Air Force says:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/russia-fir…

RFE/RL – Wagner Chief Threatens To Pull Out Of Bakhmut As Zelenskiy Calls For Modern Air Defenses (April 29, 2023:
https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-zelen…

DW – Soviet-era anti-aircraft system that misfired on Poland (November 2022):
https://www.dw.com/en/soviet-era-anti…

RFE/RL – ‘Night Of Russian Terror’: Deadly Missile Attacks Target Ukrainian Cities (April 28, 2023):
https://www.rferl.org/a/deadly-russia…

Al Jazeera – Reported Ukraine drone strike ignites major fuel blaze on Crimea (April 29, 2023):
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4…